After a Comeback, Tracy Lawrence Turns 40
With Hillary Clinton running for president and John McCain raising his campaign from the dead, the political media recently resurrected the nickname once applied to Bill Clinton: The Comeback Kid. Country music has several comeback figures these days, though one in particular can hardly be considered a kid: Tracy Lawrence turns 40 on Sunday.
Tracy’s comeback is a particularly good one, considering that when he turned 30, he was embroiled in turmoil in his relationships and with the legal system. On that particular birthday, a Las Vegas court convicted him of battery, that incident coming after a four-year series of broken romances and arrests. He had always involved himself in charity events, but his reputation had gotten so bad that some female artists refused to take part in anything associated with him.
Previously, just about anything he released, beginning with “Sticks and Stones” in 1991, was almost guaranteed to go Top 10. After his Nevada misstep, Tracy’s career slowed significantly. He went back to the Top 10 just twice between ’98 and 2006, with “Lessons Learned” and “Paint Me a Birmingham.” Last year, he went all the way back to No. 1 — his first trip to the top in 11 years — with “Find Out Who Your Friends Are,” released on his own Rocky Comfort record label.
The Tracy who’s about to turn 40 appears to be a much different man than the one who was publicly humiliated a decade ago. He’s had some rough moments — his bus caught fire, he sprained his ankle, his grandmother died — but he’s had no legal entanglements to suggest the anti-social behavior remains. He’s been married for eight years and has two daughters, and he seems to be a guy who’s changed his life for the better.
America is a place where people are afforded second chances. Tracy received several, and his comeback at the artistic and the social level is a textbook example of why we’re willing as a society to do that.
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
Anna Aldridge says:
yo tracey want to wish you a late birthday to you and love listen to your song find out who t\your friends are
FRANK&DEBRA says:
HAPPY YOUNG 40.Went to your show in merrilville in. it was GREAT.hope you get up here soon , because we had a great time at your concert.one of the best shows that we seen.
linda staton says:
HAPPY birthday AND manys MORE
sue says:
Happy Birthday Tracy
hope you have many more in the future
keep up the good work, love to listen
to your music.
Karen & David says:
We’ve enjoyed your music for many years. Saw you at the KY State Fair in 2007.You came up into the stands unbeknownst to many with your ball cap and sunglasses on right in front of us. What a thrill to know you get a kick out of mingling with your fans. Keep up the good work, we’re with you man!
stella says:
“Happy Birthday Tracy”. You are still a great singer. I love your music!!
Sheri Matteroli says:
Tracy, it is nice to see ya back. you have always been a favorite and sometimes it take years to make someone see the brite side of life. so glad you found that and you are truley a blessed person. have a wonderful birthday.
Randall Hall says:
Hey Tracy hurry and come back to Shreveport,La and surrounding areas been listening to your music and keeping upwith ya for long time,don’t get no better than what you do and hey if you get the chance stop in at Huntsville, al at the Big Spring Jam,I know you would bring the House down they Love ya up there to! Happy Belated Birthday!!!!!
Randall Hall says:
Sorry about that it ain’t Sunday yet!!!!!
Darren says:
I would love to know if “Birmingham” is the name of the lost girl or the town they were supposed to be in??? After listening a hundred times it could be either.